Proverbs 26:4-5 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Solomon wrote these proverbs to help us understand God and the way to live your life. A proverb means “a dark saying” or “hard to understand”. In other words, it takes more than our natural minds to figure it out- which means, we definitely need the Spirit of God to help interpret. For many years I asked God the same question, “should I answer or not?” The Lord finally showed me the answer. He said, both instances are correct. There are times you shouldn’t answer and there are times you should.

These verses must be combined together to understand their meaning. Solomon expressed the impossibility of reasoning with a fool. Verse 4 tells us not to answer a fool. So what’s the use of trying to make him understand? Many proverbs and psalms tell us that a fool has said in his heart there is no God. They also read there is not much hope in a fool, therefore, it’s useless to try to reach them.

Verse 5 shows that a fool must be reproved or, if he is never challenged, he will just get worse. So we have to counter the foolishness of foolish men, but there is little chance of it producing much.

Proverbs 27:22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

This verse says even though you grind a fool into powder, mix him with mud to build a house with clay bricks, and let him dry inside the mud; he will continue to be a fool. This truth is absolutely mind boggling, but I have actually witnessed it in people. That is why we shouldn’t answer a fool. However, we need discretion or discernment from the Holy Spirit as to when we should answer or simply walk away.

Leviticus 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

Here, God commanded us to rebuke our neighbor and not hate them in your heart. So, we should love them enough not to suffer sin upon them, because sin kills. Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

We must balance and “rightly divide the Word of Truth”. The Word will always cause us to triumph and win the victory of not understanding God’s will!